Ding Yanyu Hang, the loneliest retirement ceremony I've ever seen.

Night shrouds the Shandong High-Speed Arena, Ding Yanyu Hang returns alone.

No spotlight of a press conference, no flowers from cheering fans, no applause from teammates.

Only him, facing the empty stands.

He announced his retirement with a 19-minute long video.

Saying goodbye is not admitting defeat, it's reconciliation with oneself.

...

While watching the video, scenes from those years flash back in my mind:

Little Ding holds the ball on the perimeter, faces the defender and shoots, the home MC shouts with passionate and distinctive voice the classic line etched in Shandong fans' DNA:

“Three-pointer from distance! Number 2, Ding! Yan! Yu! Hang!”

After hearing the roaring MVP cheers from hometown folks, Little Ding habitually ruffles his hair, eyes filled with a killer look of supremacy...

Remember, on September 10, 2020, Ding Yanyu Hang expressed such emotion in a letter to fans:

“The first day joining the team, carrying luggage, morning sunlight shining on my head, I sat at the breakfast stall outside the club entrance, asked the uncle to serve a bowl of spicy soup, I drank a sip, felt all difficulties were nothing big anymore!”

Difficulties are not big matters, but over the past 8 years, he experienced too much struggle.

This time he finally no longer forces himself, no longer fights stubbornly, chooses to gently reconcile with his scarred self.

A bowl of spicy soup started youth, ultimately ends with a silent farewell.

When God closes a door, He also slowly opens a window.

33 years old, he is still very young.

The professional basketball story ends, the next chapter of his life is just beginning.

Believe seeing news of Little Ding's retirement, whether fans or media, the emotional points must be “nostalgia”, “regret”, “pity”...

Within such emotions, Brother Di also talks a step deeper.

It's said “a Yao Ming once in a hundred years, an Yi Jianlian once in fifty years”, we often complain current forwards lack ball-handling ability, then can players like Ding Yanyu Hang be replicated?

Personal view is direct, first pour the “cold water”: very difficult.

A player's success cannot be separated from the era's context.（This applies to all industries）

It must be talent, effort, and opportunity twisted into one rope, that lifted Ding Yanyu Hang at his peak.

In Little Ding's growth process, he deeply relied on the traditional sports team training model, enjoyed relatively complete youth training guarantees, long-term cultivation, and resource倾斜 from the sports team system, achieving fame young.

Current players, finishing Nike High School, completing university then entering draft, what age are they...

Another point, opportunity during special period.

Shandong team coach Kaiser gave him unlimited shooting rights, key ball trust, in the CBA league dominated by foreign players, such core treatment is almost impossible to replicate again.

Don't forget, the Chinese men's basketball team was divided into red and blue teams at that time.

Everyone remembers Ding Yanyu Hang's masterpiece scoring 30 points against Korea?

Have you thought: if the national team wasn't divided into two teams, if Yi Jianlian and Guo Ailun were in the lineup?

Little Ding likely wouldn't have had that game...

But conversely, ball possession is just a platform, not everyone can perform like him with the ball.

Many players also gained core status, but none could like him, using forward height to display guard-level ball handling,兼具 explosiveness, rhythm, and finishing ability, continuously硬解 games under high-intensity对抗.

The era and team gave him ball possession others didn't have, and he used irreplicable talent and ability to turn this ball possession into a legendary story.

Ding God, didn't come凭空.

Finally, using Ding Yanyu Hang's retirement news, talk about something I感慨 over the past few years.

Old fans know a meme: “Wu Ke effect”, a classic butterfly effect in basketball circles.

In 2016, Little Ding's teammate Wu Ke was suspended for elbow strike, causing Shandong team playoff elimination, Beasley transferred to Rockets, conflict with Green in Western Conference Finals caused Green key technical foul.

Resulted Green suspended in Finals Game 5, Warriors thus lost key战力, reversed by Cavaliers to win championship.

This directly pushed Warriors offseason signing Durant, forming super team,彻底改写 NBA championship格局 for years after...

All this, seemingly unrelated to Little Ding.

But his injury同样 changed Chinese basketball's trajectory.

2019 World Cup was key battle for男篮守住底线, result...

With Ding God, Yi Jianlian wouldn't need to carry the team alone.

Key games against Poland, Venezuela could completely be rewritten, if顺利拿到奥运 ticket, wouldn't have史上首次无缘奥运耻辱与崩塌.

Former亚洲霸主跌落至接连失利,舆论环境, player confidence, youth training导向一同陷入恶性循环,一步步坠入漫长至暗时刻.

Then if Little Ding + Yi Jianlian combination led team to win?

Zhou Qi, Guo Ailun etc. many players' career trajectories, Chinese basketball's direction over past 7 years, including Yao Ming's reform布局 in that position, could all be rewritten...

Timing, fate.

Rain eventually stops falling, ship虽停 dream未凉.

After today, no need惋惜 for his missed peak, no need感慨 for unfinished遗憾.

Have you seen Ding Yanyu Hang's posted activity?

He came to济南野球场 interacting with fans, this is a very good state.

No longer carrying team,顶着MVP光环 pressure, no longer纠结体测, injuries, contracts.

Simply a person who loves playing basketball, on野球场笑着互动 with fans, shooting, chatting.

Former him,透支 for basketball, now basketball returns him轻松,自在.

“Playing games” and “playing basketball” are two completely different mindsets.

Letting go执念,找回快乐, this is the best结局.